Over 100,000 supporters poured into the streets of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, to offer their side a heartfelt homecoming, transforming the disappointment of a World Cup elimination into an immense nationwide celebration.
A 2-1 extra-time loss against England on Saturday ended Norway’s trailblazing campaign at the quarter-final stage, dashing their hopes of reaching the last four. Still, that did not prevent the country from saluting its heroes. Vast crowds beneath the Nordic summer sunshine packed the grounds of the Royal Palace early on Monday afternoon, with unofficial estimates placing the turnout above 100,000 people.
The Norwegian squad landed to a customary water-cannon welcome before setting off on their homecoming parade through the capital. The line of supporters swiftly filled the palace square and then extended far down the main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate, as the players first attended an audience with King Harald V.
Erling Haaland steps off the plane in Oslo carrying a stuffed raccoon. Photograph: Jan Langhaug/NTB/AFP/Getty Images
“I felt immensely proud, it has been incredible, whether I was at home or in Spain, and the feeling among the Norwegian people has been there the whole time – it has been absolutely unbelievable,” said Norway supporter Catherine Breiland.
The team emerged to salute the crowd, with the Royal Guard standing to attention behind them. Forward Erling Haaland was notably missing from the final part of the celebration, having departed early. His exit meant he was absent when his teammates gathered on the palace steps for one last “Viking row”, a thunderous clap-and-chant led by Crown Prince Haakon on the drum, as tens of thousands of fans filled the square below.
“Erling and Sander [Berge] had to catch their flight because our journey from the US was delayed by four hours,” explained Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken, as the squad prepared to continue the festivities with an open-topped bus parade around Oslo. The throngs slowed the bus to a halt in the city centre, at one point forcing it to reverse while police escorts tried to clear a path. Unfazed, the Norwegian players toasted with beers and waved, and the party rolled on well after darkness fell.
Ståle Solbakken and the Norway players perform their ‘Viking row’ while Crown Prince Haakon drums. Photograph: Trond Reidar Teigen/NTB/AFP/Getty Images
“The run this Norwegian team has put together this year has gone far beyond anything I ever imagined. I think everyone in Norway should honour the national side, which has done such a brilliant job throughout this entire tournament,” said Nicolai Sivesind, who travelled to Oslo to take part in the World Cup festivities.
In a moment of irony, the parade was brought to a halt by low-hanging overhead cables. The players, who had been standing and waving flags on the top deck, were obliged to sit down to pass beneath the obstacle before the double-decker could proceed. Solbakken had earlier stated he was certain the ball hit a camera wire above the pitch just before Jude Bellingham scored England’s equaliser in the first half. FIFA has repeatedly denied that the ball touched any cable before the goal.
Hours after it began, the parade covered the 1.3km route and concluded at City Hall Square, where tens of thousands of patient fans were still waiting to welcome the team. “I don’t think anybody had imagined this,” Norway captain Martin Ødegaard told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “The backing we have received in the USA and here at home in Norway has exceeded everything we could have dreamed of. It has been absolutely incredible to witness.”
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
